Silence - By Kailin Gow Page 0,46
his view, and threw himself at the white-haired vampire. It spun, catching him and turning him into a hold designed to snap the dragon-shifter’s neck, but Archer intervened with a kick to the stomach that did little real damage, but at least al owed Fletcher to wriggle clear of the vampire’s grip.
Briony took advantage of the distraction, rushing over to Kevin. Kevin eased past her, punching a vampire with bone-breaking force. Then, while it was stunned, Briony moved through to stake it.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Briony said with a smile.
“You know I’d fol ow you anywhere.”
“I know.”
They fought together, Kevin using his greater strength and speed to immobilize vampires long enough for Briony to stake them, Briony helping to fend off a few of the blows aimed their way. They fought their way back to the other three, and together, the five of them held a rough circle against the vampires.
More vampires poured into the room, and more stil . So many, that it seemed that the five of them would never be able to kil them al . So many that they didn’t even bother attacking, because they were so certain of victory when they did. Kevin thought he recognized some of them, dressed al in black as they were. They had to be some of Sloane’s vampires. The ones who had gotten through the gate. They must have fol owed him and Fletcher, and now, they had obviously found the part of Palisor where they most belonged.
Kevin looked down at the brush of a hand against his, and found Briony squeezing his hand tightly. That brief touch said so much; how she missed him, and loved him, and how they would get through this. At least, that was what Kevin wanted it to say.
That was certainly what he meant when he wrapped his own fingers over hers.
With the vampires holding back for the moment, Archer, Fletcher and the young man who had to be the Prince looked around at the two of them. The latter looked pointedly at the spot where Kevin and Briony’s hands were intertwined.
“You must be one of those the Princess left behind.”
“I’m Kevin.”
“And I am Vigor, Prince of Palisor, and protector of the realm while my father remains il .”
Kevin glanced around at the vampires who stil surrounded them. He got the feeling that they were waiting for someone to make the first move, knowing that, though their numbers would overwhelm the five, the first few of them to attack would probably die.
“How is that going, do you think?” Kevin asked.
The Prince didn’t answer at first, but looked Kevin up and down. “It could be worse. You are a wolf.”
It wasn’t a question.
“Be welcome, wolf-shifter. Palisor is for al those who do not carry the dark in them.”
The white-haired vampire chose that moment to move to the front of the creatures surrounding them. He smiled savagely, red-eyed and long-fanged. “Palisor wil be ours soon enough, Prince Vigor.”
“I think not.” The Prince opened his mouth, baring fangs of his own. Kevin was glad that he had heard about the fanged elves before he came there.
“You have been here for too long, Marcus, if you cannot even remember about werewolves.”
“What’s to know?” the vampire demanded.
“Just another thing to kil .”
“To be kil ed by,” Vigor corrected him.
“They are guardians of the gate as much as dragon-shifters are, except that where the skil of dragons is to cal forth the gates, werewolves exist to slay your kind.”
One of Sloane’s vampires laughed.
“Werewolves aren’t so strong.”
Vigor’s smile broadened. “Not in your world, where they are cut off from the magic, maybe.
But here? Here in Palisor, where there is magic enough to spare, you wil find them a little more difficult. They are poison to your kind, vampire. One bite, one scratch in their wolf form… that’s al it would take.”
“You’re lying,” the white-haired vampire, Marcus, said. “What would you know of the world beyond, Hugtandalfer prince who does not look beyond his realm? What would you know of creatures that fol owed my kind through the gates mil ennia ago?”
Prince Vigor shrugged. “If you do not believe me, you have only to attack.”
For a moment, just a moment, Kevin thought that they might not risk it. He did not know if this story was true, but if it proved to be, who would want to fight him? To emphasize the point, he transformed, growling at the vampires there. It stil wasn’t enough.
“Get them,” Marcus ordered. “Kil them.”
Chapter 19
When Marcus